Phinney makes a break to win Tour of Poland stage

AFP, KATOWICE, Poland

Fri, Aug 02, 2013 - Page 18

Taylor Phinney of the US made a late solo breakaway to claim victory on the 231.5km fourth stage of the Tour of Poland from Tarnow to Katowice on Wednesday.

Poland’s Rafal Majka of the Saxo-Tinkoff team maintained his hold on the overall lead after finishing safely in the peloton.

Phinney, the 23-year-old BMC rider, struck for home 7km from the finish, opening up a 15-second lead that proved enough to hold off the peloton at the line.

Australian Steele Von Hoff took second, in the same time as Phinney, with Yauheni Hutarovich of Belarus in third.

Majka still leads Sergio Henao of Team Sky by four seconds, with the Colombian being helped by last year’s Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins on his return to racing after injury and illness. France’s Christophe Riblon is third at six seconds.

A nine-man breakaway spent most of the day off the front, but the last of the escapees, Poland’s Kamil Gradek, was caught with 11km left.

Yesterday’s fifth stage was due to see the peloton ride 160.5km from Nowy Targ to Zakopane.